I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't

[reddosmod]

DECEMBER 2021 EVENT

Hello! We are trying a new style of event this December with archival-like entries that characters can ICly find in the Archives. This should allow characters to be able to plan against certain events that occur in-game and do research ahead of time, during the event, or after the fact.

The idea is that these prompts will provide you with all the possibilities characters could theoretically face from the prompt. We hope this leaves more open-ended opportunities for people to engage with. Anything mentioned in the excerpts could be an experience characters encounter. You can always ask for clarification on any prompt on the plotting page.

This is a way to keep all event prompts relevant since new characters would be able to "read up" on these events/excerpts by visiting the Archives or other such resources for information about past events and what they can anticipate from the setting.

We hope this new style makes sense and is fun for players to work with! They will rely on players creating more of the atmosphere than the prompts, but we think that the prompts will provide the perfect guidance as to what the atmosphere should feel like. Enjoy!

IMAGE DESCRIPTORS IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE
Prompt One
[Image One: Holiday themed antler decoration.]
[Image Two: White stag with perfect, circular antlers with bits of ice attached.]

Prompt Two
[Image One: Sculpture of white rabbit with neck caught in a snare. Non-graphic.]
[Image Two: Person in red cloak and wolf mask turning around.]

Prompt Three
[Image One: Puppet making bloody snow angel in snow.]
[Image Two: Bloodied hands wrapped in bandages clenching.]

[NAVIGATION]

Prompt 1 • Prompt 2 • Prompt 3 • Plotting • Newsletter

[JUMP TO COMMENTS]

WINTER MOURNING

WHEN: Begins in December and can last until the end of Feb.
WHERE: Everywhere
CONTENT WARNINGS: Spoilers for various canons, survival situations, forced memory share

---

[A passage from Rituals of Trench: Remembering Our Pasts reads the following:]

"A long-standing tradition to celebrate Bone Season is for Deerians to collect antlers and bones salvaged from natural resources and create decorative home accents. These antler-bone decors are known formally as Winter Mournings and can be found in almost every residential home throughout Deer Country. Winter Mournings can be made to look like wreaths, candle holders, or simply an antler with a bow hung up on a wall.

Winter Mournings is seen as a way to honor one's past tribulations and how one has managed to survive and overcome hardships during their life. Winter Mournings serves as a testament to survival and a willingness to keep surviving even when things look bleak and dismal.

Creating Winter Mournings is considered a blessing to the Pthumerians Dorothea, Remina, and Argonaut. You will know if the blessing was accepted once your Winter Mourning begins to glow like the moon. Touch your Winter Mourning and you will be pulled back in time to a memory of a specific time when you or someone else had to survive something physically or mentally challenging. For some, it is merely a memory that cannot hurt, but for others, you may want to proceed with caution as it has been known to pull people physically back to times of war.

One cannot choose which memory they wind up in if it is their own, a friend's, or a complete stranger's. Winter Mournings was designed to create a sense of union and empathy among residents and is meant to open your mind and heart to those who have suffered around you. It is time you explore your past, or someone else's past, with an open mind and see how the other side has lived through hard times. These memories are known to be from adolescence, adulthood, or sometimes even futures that have not yet happened or timelines you have never known. After all, Remina sees all past and all history. That means they see all of your past and history too.

No memory lasts forever though. Once the memory has been concluded, you shall be brought back to the present by the Winter Mourning Stag: a great white beast with a circle of frozen antlers. It will come to you when the time is ready, and you will return to the present like waking from a dazzling dream.

Experiencing Winter Mournings can stabilize one's mood and provide restful sleep after, even if the memories may be difficult to swallow. It truly is a tribute to honor past horrors and traumas. Some memories are painful to remember, but forgetting them will never do anyone any good either. So hang your Winter Mournings and remember what matters.

Survive another day. You are worth it."

FAQ

1. Winter Mournings can produce new memories every time you touch them or the same memory.

2. Characters cannot choose what the memory is.

3. Characters can arrive in each other's memories regardless of if they already know each other. Multiple people can experience the same memory.

4. You can either experience the memory as a memory you can't touch or experience - or you can physically be in the memory and have to survive the situation as well. If you die in memory, your body will die wherever you had been touching the Winter Mourning.

5. Palebloods are capable of altering memories or how they or others experience memories.

6. Characters can be pulled into memories at random - as long as one of the characters in the memory share is touching a Winter Mourning at first.

RUN, RABBIT, RUN

WHEN: Month of December
WHERE: Everywhere/the woods
CONTENT WARNINGS: Themes of hunting, ghosts, curses, attempts at animal violence, hunting people based on blood types.

---

[An excerpt from Legends of Trench: Curses and Causations reads the following:]

"One of the most notorious legends of Trench is without a doubt the tale of The Huntress and the Hare. Most Trenchies have been told this tale since they were children, but for those unfamiliar, settle in.

This story begins with a mischievous god and an ambitious huntress. The Pthumerian Dorothea loved to play tricks on hunters trying to survive the Bone Season, setting animals free from traps and remaking the traps to catch the hunters instead. One day, a darkblood Huntress was fed up with Dorothea preventing her from catching food for her family and decided to settle the score. The Huntress began to hunt for Dorothea specifically, but it is no small feat hunting the god of trickery and survival.

The Huntress started to rely on her darkblood powers to alter reality to make the perfect traps. Innocuous trees turned into glue traps that anyone would stick to until they were freed by a darkblood or death took their pain from them. Walking through bushes would snag legs and necks, effectively trapping whatever creatures were unfortunate enough to wander for food. Magical snares and beartraps lock around victims with unrelenting force, leaving people and animals to try for help until they cry no more. While this took many innocent lives in the woods, animals, and people alike, it never seemed to work on Dorothea.

Dorothea continued to outwit the Huntress until she eventually drove the Huntress insane. The Huntress died without ever catching Dorothea, but they say her vengeful spirit awakens in winter and begins to set her traps yet again. The Huntress sends her traps and her dead animals after vilebloods and warmbloods to spite Dorothea and hope to maybe catch the god's attention. But Dorothea is no passive god. Dorothea spurs vilebloods and warmbloods to defend themselves against darkbloods and coldbloods.

Infamously, this has created enormous tension between the blood types during December some years, and it is said that the blood lust has caused the types to begin hunting one another regardless of old friendships and alliances. Beware the Huntress's curse. Some believe darkbloods and coldbloods can still hear her haunting commands and cries from the Trenchwood.

They say there is no ease for the tension between the bloodtypes until December has passed, but some believe palebloods may provide relief if they are willing."

FAQ

1. Characters will increasingly feel the urge to actively hunt one another using traps/etc.

2. The Huntress's curse includes undead animals/beasts chasing after warmbloods and vilebloods and magical traps. Players can invent unique traps for their characters.

3. There will be an innate urge to chase/hide from one another.

4. The curse can be broken by paleblood intervention, character death, or a gradual wearing off by the end of the month.

LOCKJOINT

WHEN: All of Bone Season
WHERE: On Sleeper bodies
CONTENT WARNINGS: Mild body horror, blood magic curses, physical curses, cures through blood ministration/blood letting, possible skin removal, injuries, possible death via starvation/exposure.

---

[An passage from The Sleeper Condition; Chapter 13: Bodily Aches and More. Found exclusively at the Lumenarium:]

"Generally speaking, Sleeper blood allows Sleepers to navigate this world without the fear of illness and disease. However, no organic body is perfect, and Sleeper blood has its own set of ailments to fret over. Blood Ministers have studied the phenomena of Lockjoint for years now and believe that it is linked to the crystalization found in Sleeper death, though the exact connection remains unknown.

Lockjoint tends to begin and last throughout Bone Season. Some Sleepers may never experience it, but for many, it becomes a reoccurring issue to dread each season. This condition forces blood magic to gather at the joints and effectively lock up. Sleepers find it difficult to move their bodies at the bends, fingers, knees, shoulders, etc without some form of discomfort. Minimal lockjoint can be painful and annoyance, but critical lockjoint can be fatal.

The most severe cases of lockjoint documented have shown Sleepers to have crystalization form over their joints, rendering parts of their bodies completely immobile. Some Sleepers have been found dead in this condition, all their joints crystallized, and it is believed most died from natural causes thereafter.

One can determine they are experiencing lockjoint when the coloration around the joints begins to darken in color, typically looking like a bruise. Calcification may occur rapidly the more magic a Sleeper uses or the more they expose themselves to outside elements. It is imperative that Sleepers remain properly clothed during Bone Season, even if they are coldbloods, and to invest in enchanted clothes that can lock in heat.

A known cure for lockjoint is the art of bloodletting. Puncturing the joints with small incisions seems to allow a release of the built-up magic and can provide immediate relief to the Sleeper. Catching lockjoint early is imperative. Alternative methods are soaking in hot springs and salted water.

Those who are in a more severe state will have to carefully have the crystals removed. This will likely remove the skin as well. Local anesthesia is highly recommended for the procedure. This process is known to leave scarring. The crystals can be saved and used as bloodstones from whoever they were harvested from. If you find a Sleeper dead from lockjoint, make sure to harvest the crystals as they are incredibly valuable.

This curse is believed to stem from Sleeper blood magic congealing within the body in contrast with the atmospheric magic of Bone Season. There is no known prevention for lockjoint. Lockjoint can impact all Sleepers regardless of bloodtype or the material their bodies are made from."

FAQ

1. This impacts characters regardless of blood type or their body - meaning it can impact characters with metal/plastic/plant/wood/etc bodies.

2. Players can choose how rapid or severe this gets and how quickly they can be healed.

CODING

Comments

[thevengefuldoll]

"Turn into a crow?" The demon states in shock. "I didn't realize that you had such interesting abilities."

Although the demon cannot recall his life before Deer Country, Chin Yisou has the vague sense that humans tend to be weaker beings. Yet, here's a human child with hidden talents that are currently unknown.

"That's unique," he states. "If you know more tricks, the better. After all, a journey may prove dangerous. In regards to getting there, I guess you could take a ride with my omen. Yet, it is a five foot centipede."

Chin Yisou gives a catty smile as though to poke fun at the little one. What child would want to Ride an insect?

[imaglyphwitch]

"Teacher gave me a handy little cheat for that. I'm just glad that it still works. If she ever comes back, I'll have to rely on it again. For now I've just been using her staff. I learned how to do that back in her world."

Luz had actually come a long way from her days of not being able to cast magic on her own. Maybe one day she'd be able to make her OWN staff.

"The tricks would help me better if I didn't have the bum legs, honestly. It's just easier to do if I have all of my limbs."

"A five-foot centipede?" That was new. Hmm. "Is it easy to hang into him, or her?"

In other words, Luz totally would as long as she wasn't sliding off all over.

[thevengefuldoll]

"Your teacher?" Chin Yisou muses. "Sounds like a fascinating person. I'm sure you may learn something new in this strange world."

The demon states with a shred of delight. He too would like to know more about these abilities. As for accepting a ride from a centipede- that was unexpected.

"My omen would be able to accommodate you," he indicates. "This centipede is unlike the small sort who seem to crawl on their bellies."

With focus and a wave of his hand, the demon calls upon his Omen. From the ground rises a massive shadow. A black centipede emerges- its mid section and lower half are grounded. Yet, the front section of where it's head is remains upright. Overall, the centipede resembles an "L" shape. On its back is room enough for a small passenger.

"I haven't named it," Chin Yisou admits. "Yet, I don't know if that matters. Regardless, if it's a suitable transport for you, then we may embark soon."

The demon pats the centipede on the head. It looks towards Luz with a tilt. The Omen doesn't sense any danger and remains calm.

[imaglyphwitch]

"I'm sure too. I learned plenty of stuff in the previous place we were all trapped in. Now I just have to master this whole blood stuff and its powers. There are some things I know I can do, and some that are going to need some experimentation."

Her regular glyph magic she had a grasp on, but was starting to learn other combinations too, so it was slow going without Eda around.

Luz gazed in amazement. "Whoa, cool! I've never seen an omen like this! They're pretty fast!"

The girl nodded, and held up her hands. Sadly, she still needed assistance in this regard.

[thevengefuldoll]

The demon delights, there's another like him with an inquisitive mind. Despite the danger of this strange world, it is at least free from boredom. He assists Luz onto the centipede mount.

"We have much to learn on that matter," he remarks. "If we find a decent blood minister, then they could help teach us a thing or two about these new abilities."

Chin Yisou stares at the road ahead.

"We need to take the Tyger Trail in order to get to Lumenwood." He states as though reading a map from memory.

He pulls out a tattered map from his bag. Once the location is confirmed, he smiles.

"What an adventure we have before us," Chin Yisou beams.

He looks onto Luz as a little sister. Together the unlikely duo may find some needed answers. Yet, how dangerous the quest will be is anyone's guess.

"Should you need anything along the way, don't hesitate to ask," he states with a raised finger.

[imaglyphwitch]

With everything that's going on in Trench and how little she still didn't know, Luz wanted to find out as much as she could. If there was one thing Luz was not about, it was boredom, even if nonstop terror wasn't a better alternative.

"I'm a little wary about blood minsters. I know it makes more sense to actually speak to the people in this world about this kind of thing, but I'm more used to how Sleepers relied more on each other. The locals tended to be very unhelpful on their end."

She didn't want to add that after the Blood Zealots she felt less inclined to get involved with the locals now. It just made her very careful about who she trusted.

"Right. Tyger Trail. Must remember to get map later."

Luz tended to fly, and things looked a little different that way. She nodded weakly. Stupid legs.

"Me? Oh no, I mean, just movement back to my limbs. Maybe a little water."

[thevengefuldoll]

The demon nods at her request. He pulls out a canteen from his bag.

"Here you are," Chin Yisou offers her water. "I do agree with you though, people are difficult to trust. Yet, should we run into issues, then I'm certain that we can make amends."

Chin Yisou's smile insinuates a hint of wicked delight. Of course, no one sane seeks conflict; however, the thrill of adventure captivates him. Once Luz seems ready for departure, the party embarks. The path seems fare as they travel. The sun still has a few hours before setting. The demon's omen walks briskly and attentive. The great centipede keeps glancing from side to side; further, making sure that there are no threats present.

After an hour of walking, the demon feels a rumble in his stomach.

"Are you hungry Luz?" Chin Yisou asks.

One should not eat without making an offer.

[imaglyphwitch]

"Thank you," Luz said gratefully, taking a long drink and then trying her best to get into a comfortable position. "I hope that's true. With some people, sometimes all they have in them is to be deceptive."

Luckily she hadn't met too many people like that. Sleepers at least tried to look after each other if they could. It was regrettable that Luz couldn't use her staff to travel along faster, but that was just the way things were going to be for right now. Besides, what was so wrong with taking the calming way?

Luz was shaken from her thoughts with the question.

"Oh, me? Well. If you happen to have something. I was going to wait until I was home."

[thevengefuldoll]

"You're welcome," Chin Yisou replies after taking the canteen.

He rummaged through his bag and takes out a cloth.

"Would you like jerky?" He asks while holding out the bundle.

The demon is unsure of whether or not to admit first hand what the jerky is made of. He recalls another travel companion who didn't like meat. Although he is wary, Chin Yisou offers the food with smile.

[imaglyphwitch]

With the water she did feel a bit better, though she was still at a loss at what was causing all of this.

"Oh, sure. What type of Jerky is it?"

Luz was hungry and unless you told her it was made of human, chances were she was not going to turn it down.

[thevengefuldoll]

"It's rabbit," The demon replies. "I wasn't sure if knowing would have deterred you from eating. It's important to be properly fed while on a journey."

He unwraps the cloth to reveal slivers of dried meats.

[imaglyphwitch]

Luz took a deep breath. "If that's what you have, I have no choice but to eat it. I wouldn't normally, though. I know someone that reminds me of rabbits that I care too much about to eat them."

Because yes, rabbits were cute but she immediately thought of Usagi.

"So I'm guessing you do these journey things a lot?"

[thevengefuldoll]

He hands her some slivers of jerky to eat. Once satisfied that she is well, the demon returns the remaining sustenance inside his bag.

"I figured rabbits would be too cute for you to eat," Chin Ysiou remarks calmly. "Yet, better to not allow the hunted to be killed in vain."

Where he began to feel some sort of morality, the demon is uncertain. Yet, his statement seemed true. He turns his attention to the road and the question at hand.

"I have been on a few great journals since coming here," the demon smiles. "A friend and I investigated some ghost ships. Also, I had assisted a little one on her quest home."

Memories pass through Chin Yisou's mind, and the result leaves a smile on his face.

"Now, I'm on a new adventure," he turns his gaze towards Luz. "Have you been on any quests since stepping forth into this strange world?"

The two still have some time left before reaching their destination. Thus, talking is the best method to offset any potential boredom. Yet, how can any adventure be boring?

[imaglyphwitch]

"You know, I would normally say no, but just this once should be ok."

She wouldn't feel great about it, but he had a point: just because she didn't eat it didn't make the poor thing any less dead. She may as well honor its death, in a way?

"Oh, so you've had your own adventures after all. Not that its surprising: I think a lot of us have all gone through a little bit of that in some way or another. Of course, the best ones are when you go out and see something different!"

And potentially not so horrifying.

"Who, me? Well, yes, I'd say so. There was that time I was with Varian and Delilah on the ship that sailed into the sky and we met that big sea monster. Oh, and when I was with Fern when we went to that haunted lighthouse where I got possessed. Right, and in September I was still fighting that insomnia, and that was when I accidentally astral projected from my body!"

She blinked. "You know, now that I saw it out loud, that all sounds totally crazy and yet I'm somehow used to it? I feel like that should bother me more."

[thevengefuldoll]

"You were possessed? That must have been a frightful experience!" the demon replies.

Although Chin Yisou is fond of dolls, he never would want to be one himself. Luz seems to have been through a lot of adventures despite her age. The demon is delighted to have good company. Chin Yisou stands still abruptly, and demands that the centipede halts. A noise captures his interest. In the winter brush, something scatters.

"Let's be careful," he says while setting an intense gaze towards the intrusive sound.

Prompt I:

A bandit armed with a dagger jumps out from the brush.

Prompt II:

A deer darts across the path in fright.

Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[imaglyphwitch]

"I honestly don't remember it at all, that's the creepy thing! I remember going into the Lighthouse with Fern and going all the way to the top, but I don't remember anything after that until I was me again."

Which, she had to admit, was a little unsettling. Was that more of her Pale Blood reacting than anything else?

Not that she had time to think about that, because it seemed like someone was waiting in the underbrush.

"Um. You don't...know any friendly helper out here, do you?"

She's not getting her hopes up.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[thevengefuldoll]

Chin Yisou takes a ready stance. He places a hand in his pocket to draw out mahjong counters.

"I  do know of someone. Unfortunately, he is not on our current case," the demon replies sternly.

A man emerges from the brush with a grim smile. His eyes are wild with the thrill of a hunt.

"Finally caught up to you," the stranger remarks. "Looks like you're not alone, but neither am I."

The stranger claps his hand. A mist rises from behind the man and a hawk emerges out of the  fog. Alike the man, the bird is eager for a fight.

"Are you able to fight, or would you like to set this one out?" The demon asks Luz.

He does not seem to expect a positive answer, but feels inclined to give her a choice in the matter.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[imaglyphwitch]

Aw, poops.

Looks like that guy had some plan for robbing them. That was just their luck, that this would happen while Luz couldn't move her legs. She grimaced, taking a look at their two enemies.

"That depends. Are you able to take down the bird? You seem pretty rooted to the ground."

Luz was already thinking scenarios with what her friend would tell her. Once she had an idea what HE could do, she'd know what options she had herself.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[thevengefuldoll]

The demon smiles, it's good to have company, but better to have witty friends. He muses over Luz's suggestion. Perhaps, he can act as a decoy.

"That idea sounds plausible," Chin Yisou replies. "You and my omen can tend to this fool. Then I'll keep the bird occupied."

Chin Yisou readies his mahjong counters. He has not fended off an omen before. Yet, the demon cannot allow the enemy to focus their total attention on his companion. After all, her leg still needs to heal. He throws some of the counters at the misty hawk. Unfortunately, they run straight through.

"Come over here!" The demon yells while darting away from Luz.

After being attacked, the bird takes the bait. It swoops towards Chin Yisou to engage in combat. The misty feathers shoot out like darts. Swiftly, the demon evades the attack. Upon the next flurry of feather spears, Chin Yisou suffers from a wound to the shoulder. He appears unfazed by the injury; however, Chin Yisou's eyes narrow with rage. He doesn't understand how omens function and whether or not they can be defeated. Yet, his attention turns to Luz.

"How are you faring little one?" The demon's voice asks with exasperation.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[imaglyphwitch]

Once he gives the indication that Luz could take on their attacker, Luz went to work. Without legs there was no way she could afford to lose any bit of time, and she had to get the jump on her reactions right this minute.

Luz scribbled on the ground as the man approached and slammed her hands onto the glyphs she'd managed to finish and UP she went, clutching the two ice platform that shot her out of reach. But she didn't have time to revel in that when she went into her pocket and slammed a glyph spell she'd had at the ready, concentrating hard. The vine from the plant glyph burst from its paper and took root at the thief's feet with such force that the man had to stumble back, and that was about all Luz needed.

She swung down from the vine quick without hesitation and crashed into the thief hard, dazing him enough, while Tempest, Luz's omen, towered over the attacker, growling fiercely. Luz was crumbled on the ground but mostly unfazed.

Luz recovered very quickly from crashes and falls. It was her first actual super power.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[thevengefuldoll]

The demon caught a glimpse of the girl's magic. Truly, she is not just an ordinary human. He is pleased to learn more about Luz's capabilities. Chin Yisou's slight distraction brings upon a new wound, this time a pierce in the arm. He winces in pain and throws a mahjong counter at the misty hawk. The thief's bout with Luz seems to have weakened him. Shortly, the hawk's form dissipates.

Chin Yisou's omen scuttles close to the girl. He nudges Luz as if to ask if she is alright. Seeing Luz on the ground, the demon approaches to inspect the situation. Although he cares about her condition, Chin Yisou cannot help but to fixate on their attacker.

"What should we do with him, Luz?" the demon's eyes narrow towards the thief.

Luz's strike hit him harder than the stranger would have expected. Truly, he has misjudged his targets.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[imaglyphwitch]

"Brgghgt," was the first reply Luz came up with. She may have been good at recovery, but that didn't mean her head wasn't a little scrambled afterward. She was at least glad to see that the hawk had retreated away, and her Tempest was looming over, ready to attack if the thief should get up again, which did not seem to be the case.

"I'm good," Luz finally said, grunting as she did her best to at least try and sit up and look like she could get up and do some more damage.

"Oh. Uh. Tie him up and turn him into the authorities. He could have really hurt us!"

Luz was not merciless, obviously. Girl was half pure sugar.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[thevengefuldoll]

Chin Yisou glares at the thief.

"You're lucky that she's here," the demon remarks coldly.

"Please, let me go I'm sorry!" The thief cries out. "I wasn't thinking straight!"

The demon narrows his eyes further, there is no excuse for the man's actions. After all, he acted with malice.

"We will see what the authorities say," Chin Yisou grins. "A foul deed left unpunished, is another foul deed to come."

He peers through his bag. Fortunately, Chin Yisou has enough rope to tie their new fugitive. He binds the thief without a care for how tight the knots are. With a firm grip, Chin Yisou leads the man on the path.

"Let's see what the blood ministers would say about you," the demon chimes. "Any more disturbances and you will find yourself left in the cold."

The man whimpers and shakes his head. Chin Yisou turns to his friend.

"Do you need help getting back on your mount?" The demon asks kindly.

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[imaglyphwitch]

"Yes please," Luz groaned, still very much crumpled on the ground. Would she have shown more leniency to the man under other circumstances? Probably. But she couldn't move her legs and now thanks to him what she could move was all achy. As far as she was concerned, he could learn a lesson about attacking people.

Luz gets back on the Omen, stretching a little so she could crack her back.

"Is this a thing that happens often around here?"

Re: Prompt 1! Scary guy!

[thevengefuldoll]

"Perhaps more than most would appreciate," the demon replies.

He has only experienced conflict during his arrival at Trench. However, Chin Yisou would consider himself lucky from finding people worthy of his company. Luz is no exception, she will prove a great partner in this investigation.

The party continue to make their way to Lumenwood. By now the sky begins to turn dark. Chin Yisou takes a moment to steady their fugitive. With the centipede close, the thief is unnerved to make an attempt to escape. The demon pulls out one of the grey skins. The tiny creature is placed gingerly on the ground. Within a few minutes, the creature evaporates into smoke. There in its place, is a lit lantern.

"I guess reaching own before dark was out of question," Chin Yisou remarks. "Then again, we may have made better time without our distraction."

He glares towards the bound thief. The stranger gulps and continues his gaze towards the road ahead. As the winter sun sets, the party reach the gates of Lumenwood. Lavish buildings adorn the town, but despite their clever architecture, there's a chill in the atmosphere. Chin Yisou turns his attention to his fellow investigator.

"Where shall we begin?" the demon smiles.

He evidently enjoys giving her a chance to set the path.